CSUMB to host first HSI Week symposium

By Mark Muckenfuss

Cal State Monterey Bay’s first Hispanic Serving Institute Week symposium, Mi Barrio Summit, is scheduled for Sept. 14, the first day of the annual week of recognition. This year’s theme for the week is Unidos y Sin Miedo [united and without fear]. It coincides with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. 

CSUMB alumnus Yefry Meta Diaz said the idea for the symposium arose last year as a result of taking an ESCALA Education training course. The program is designed to improve dialogue between HSI administrators and Latiné students, and strengthen academic and cultural awareness.

“We decided we needed to institutionalize the program,” Diaz said of the traditional HSI week activities, “so we could get the support we were trying to get. Students, faculty, staff and community partners can come to learn how we’re addressing issues at our HSI.”

Diaz graduated last year with a bachelor’s degree in health science and human services. He’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Southern California, but is still engaged with producing the symposium. 

“It’s a privilege to be involved,” he said. “Even though I’ve graduated, the relationships are still there, and I see myself as a mentor.”

The symposium will include educational workshops focused on the best ways to support the Latiné population on campus. It will also celebrate Hispanic culture.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Victor Rios, professor of sociology and MacArthur chair at UC Santa Barbara. He is the author of “Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys,” which examines how juvenile crime policies impact urban youth. Rios has also published books and articles on education, juvenile justice, masculinity, policing, and race and crime. 

Joshelyn Martin, associate director of El Centro and the Undocu-Success Center, is helping to organize the events of HSI Week, including the symposium. She hopes students will appreciate hearing from Rios. 

“We tried to be very intentional with choosing Dr. Rios,” Martin said, adding that part of the desired outcome is “making sure that students are encouraged and made aware of how to navigate higher education.”

The event has additional meaning this year, she said, because of changes that have taken place in support for HSI programs. When many federal grants were eliminated last year, Martin said, her position was in danger of being cut. CSUMB administrators stepped in and replaced the funding.

“They showed the value they place on this work,” she said. “Sometimes it’s the not-so-great experiences that are a testament to our culture.”

The symposium, she said, does just that. 

“I see the symposium as being absolutely critical,” she said. “It’s a way to do the meaningful work and provide some impactful information. It’s a very respectful way of saying, ‘We’re still standing.’”   

Unlike previous years, where HSI Week events often spanned a 10-day period, everything has been compressed into a single week this time. There has also been an attempt to raise the quality of the offerings. Having administrators from the local community colleges and community leaders participating in events, she said, “adds a layer of legitimacy” to the programs, which include forums, food-related events and a car show. 

“It’s definitely a higher quality,” she said. 

Diaz said he believes the week’s events, particularly Monday’s summit, will have a broader impact. 

“Having this symposium is an opportunity to build community, honor the students that make up this HSI, and talk about what’s working and what’s not,” he said.

“I think students will walk away with the idea of, ‘Oh wow, we are an HSI.’”